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Meow Wolf co-founder, Matt King, passed away at the age of 37 on Tuesday, July 12. The company shared a post in memory of the artist, honoring his contribution to the art community.
According to the post, King died suddenly, but the cause of his death has not been revealed. The company wrote:
"The Meow Wolf community is devastated and in absolute shock by the sudden passing of Meow Wolf co-founder, artist and dearest friend Matt King, our thoughts and condolences go out to his family, friends and everyone who knows and loves him."
Matt King founded Meow Wolf in 2008 in collaboration with six other artists
Matt King founded Meow Wolf as a public benefit corporation that claims to provide "systemic social change and well-being through the arts." He founded it alongside Sean Di Ianni, Corvas Brinkerhoff, Emily Montoya, Caity Kennedy, Benji Geary, and Vince Kadlubek and has been a part of 34 installations for the community.
The artist was known to be a visionary who loved to create eye-catching works of art. Matt King told Artnet in a 2021 interview:
“What we want is for people leaving to walk out questioning what is reality. Who am I, and what am I, what can I really do to make a positive change on the world? We’re not dystopian, that’s not our outlook. We don’t want doom and gloom.”
The House of Eternal Return was Meow Wolf's first location in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After its grand success, additional exhibits opened up in Las Vegas and Denver.
It was built on "artist collaboration" and emphasizes art made by local artists. The group focuses on "artists and narratives from underrepresented and underserved communities."
The Meow Wolf community honors the artist on social media
The official Meow Wolf shared a tribute honoring the creator. It praised King for his groundbreaking work that helped build the community to where it stands now.
The post revealed that King has inspired thousands of artists in his life with his "unbound passion for creating and collaborating." The post added:
"Matt is a f**king wizard who is riding rainbows in the astral plane now. His spirit is no longer constrained by the physical limitations of this world, and we all are responsible for continuing to build what he began with us here."
King has also been a big part of the community and helped create its first immersive art show, even before people knew the concept of such art.
The post concluded by writing:
"Matt’s spirit will live on in our collective heart. We will continue to honor him by carrying his brilliance forward in our work and in our everyday lives. We love you, Matt."
Marsi Gray, Meow Wolf's senior producer, said that King was a "hard worker" dedicated to his work and cause. She added:
"My beloved Meow Wolf community is reeling with the shock and sorrow that we lost this incredibly bright light this weekend. I am profoundly grateful to have had the opportunity to know him, to love him and for meeting him those years ago, my life will simply never ever be the same."
The company's CEO, Jose Tolosa, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
"We will honor Matt's spirit by carrying his brilliance forward in our work and in our everyday lives, building upon the monumental legacy that he leaves behind."
He added that King's influence in the Meow Wolf community is visible from the tributes flowing in from his fans and followers.
